The Deal
by Serena Thorn
Summary: Direct follow-up to Waking Up in Vegas. Can Veronica and Lamb survive a week of married life together?


Title: The Deal  
Rating: R (for language, smut and innuendo)  
Summary: Direct follow-up to "Waking Up in Vegas." Can Veronica and Lamb survive a week of married life together?  
Spoilers: Up to 2x22, maybe some very minor S3 references.  
Word Count: 10,321 (WHAT?!)  
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars is not owned by me, but by Rob Thomas. I'm simply borrowing these characters for non-profit entertainment.  
A/N: This will likely make more sense if you read "Waking Up in Vegas" but really all you need to know for this is Veronica and Lamb were on a case in Vegas and from there woke up married.

* * *

Still looking to Veronica's ring between his fingertips, Lamb made a decision. "I'll make you a deal. We spend the next week living as man and wife and if at the end of that you still want to forget this then we can. But if you end up liking it then you can't blame me and you get the ring back along with the husband you never knew you wanted."

"You want to play house? With me?" she asked skeptically. Maybe he'd had too much sun these last few days.

He shrugged. "We are still technically married. It seems like the thing to do."

"How do you expect me to tell my dad that I'm staying with you for a week?"

"You've forgotten already? Isn't he going out of town again? Some conference or something?"

He was right but it would only be for a few days. "Okay, but what about when he gets back? I can't say I'm rooming nightly with Mac and he'd freak he thought it was Logan."

Lamb smiled. For once Keith wouldn't be the only one. "You could tell him that one of your friends is worried about the latest terror on campus or broke up with their whatever. You'll think of something. You always do."

Again, he was right. And with that she was climbing out of his cruiser and heading up to her apartment.

"I'll see you tonight then?" he called.

Veronica pursed her lips in a tight, disbelieving smile and nodded.

First she told Keith about Vegas, carefully avoiding a few details. Then she told him she was going out with some friends for dinner and would likely be crashing at the dorm so to not wait up. She would give him Lamb's story about one of the girls being upset and needing a girls week in or it being some kind of sorority initiation or something tomorrow. Now she had a bag to pack. She was supposed to be moving in for a week after all.

It was after seven when Veronica finally forced herself to knock on his door. _Let the games begin,_ she thought to herself.

"Hi, honey, I'm home!" she beamed when he opened the door.

He laughed and let her in. If nothing else he knew this would most definitely be interesting. So long as they didn't kill each other at least.

"Dare I ask where I'm sleeping? Or what's for dinner?"

"Ah, yes, sleep," he sighed, this time fighting his usual smirk. "Sofa's there if you want it and if not the bedroom's down the hall."

"Okay, I choose the bed. I guess that leaves you on the sofa, big guy," she smiled.

"Very funny, Veronica. It's my bed. You're either sharing or not getting into it at all."

"Touchy. What about dinner?"

"I already ate. But if you want pizza or something the number's on the fridge."

_Ah, the joys of living in a bachelor pad,_ Veronica thought as she glanced around. The open beer bottle on the coffee table, the plasma screen TV, the black leather sofa…

She knew she should have expected what would follow. The battle for the remote control. Him stealing half of the pizza he had made her pay for while he watched whatever game he was rambling on about. Then finally his sleep-groping habit when they made it to bed.

She had class in the morning. He had work. Yet somehow no matter how many times she had elbowed him in the night had stopped his wandering hands. At first she was convinced he was awake and just doing it to piss her off but then the rhythmic breathing had proved that she was in a waking nightmare. Sure there was the sofa but first she would have to disentangle herself from his surprisingly strong hold and she would be in pain the next morning. At least this was only uncomfortable in every other way.

The joke was on him in the morning, Veronica decided with a smirk of her own. Lamb had insisted on the first shower. Fine. That meant the coffee was hers. Only fair, really, given that it was thanks to him she had only gotten maybe three hours of sleep.

Lamb sighed at the nearly empty pot after he had finished dressing for work and Veronica had headed into the shower. He was beginning to regret this idea. Nothing about Veronica was normal. How could he expect married life with her to be? But he wouldn't admit defeat yet. That was what she wanted, he was sure of it. And he knew she would never stop throwing it in his face. He could hold out. Just six more days.

For Veronica her day was otherwise as eventful as any other. Friends needing favors, a new case to be solved, classes mostly giving her a headache, having to come up with a new story for her father as to where she was spending her night.

She had tried to ignore the toll all of this was taking on her. She was home after a long day, she had made herself a dinner she hadn't had to share and she was able to watch what she wanted to watch on TV. But it wasn't her home, not really. And still wasn't used to Lamb's kitchen despite it not being that much bigger than the one she was used to. Plus she was used to waiting for her father to come home or have Wallace come over or something. But now here she sat waiting for Lamb of all people. She sighed and shook her head. She needed another shower. Something to help her relax. A walk wouldn't help. She just really needed to be alone and try to avoid all forms of thinking. Why had she agreed to this? Married life with Lamb was going to drive her insane.

Just five and a half more days, she reminded herself with a sigh as she sank into the bathtub.

How long she had been in there for she didn't know. She had obviously fallen asleep or dazed out so completely that nothing had been able to shake her until she heard the bathroom door open.

"Don't you knock?!" she cried out, immediately reminded of what had sent her into the shower like this tonight.

"Get out, Veronica." He was too angry to talk or fight. She had two choices.

"I was here first, you can wait," she snapped.

With that Don's uniform was hitting the floor piece by piece. He wasn't waiting. "Last chance, Mars. Give it up or this'll be another thing we're sharing." He mentally counted to 'one.'

Feeling the rush of cold air from behind her she knew he had been serious. "Oh my fucking God!" she nearly screamed as she stepped out, grabbing a towel from the rack and quickly, tightly wrapped it around herself.

"I warned you," he all but growled as he threw the curtain closed and bent his head under the warm spray.

All that stopped Veronica from stating a comeback was the sight of his clothes on the floor. She understood then why he had been so insistent. In that moment she didn't care how he had basically thrown her out of the shower. Seeing his uniform covered in that much blood made her thankful that she had been able to even have that argument with him. She knew from experience that if that blood had been his he wouldn't be there at all.

Without another word she padded into the bedroom and got dressed, not caring she wasn't even completely dried off yet. She wasn't sure if it was guilt for fighting with him when he had obviously had a hell of a night or relief that he was alive, but either way she headed into the kitchen next.

"Veronica?" Lamb called out twenty minutes later. He didn't want to talk about tonight, he knew she would hear about the shootout on the news. He wasn't about to apologize either, it was his shower and he had warned her. But still he expected her to be there. Especially since he had smelled what he thought was food cooking, though upon further inspection he found himself smiling for the first time that night.

She hadn't cooked for him, the bareness of his fridge likely responsible for that, but she had ordered another two pizzas. This time showing that she had been paying attention the night before to what he had picked off from the one she had gotten herself. He hoped it wasn't meant as a parting gift.

Veronica had still needed to be alone, especially with the reality of this threatening to crush her. So much had happened in the last seventy-two hours and now another thing to add to the already long list was the realization that she cared what happened to Lamb. At least in the sense that she knew that she would actually care if he died and that it would actually hurt her. Even the idea of it worried her now. She had grown up with a Sheriff father and yet the idea that he wouldn't come home wasn't something she had thought of much. She guessed it was because Keith had never let her see the reality that she had seen tonight.

She walked for what seemed like hours before coming back to Lamb's apartment. Her home away from home now. The door was unlocked for her, she smiled. She would have to mention a key later. But for now that sufficed as confirmation for her that he at least expected her back whether he actually wanted her to be or not. The lights were off but enough light was shining through the windows from the lights around the building to allow her to catch a glimpse at the cleared off counter from where she had left the pizzas. He had found them.

Slipping quietly into the bedroom, seeing he was already asleep, she changed for bed as quickly as she could. She had hoped to climb into the bed without alerting him but there was no such luck she discovered as his arm curled around her and he shifted closer.

Only this time she found herself comforted by it rather than repulsed.

"Thanks for dinner," he breathed.

His warm breath hitting the nape of her neck made her shiver and she didn't have a clue what exactly the etiquette for this was, so she only said, "Didn't think you'd want to make something yourself tonight."

This time Lamb stayed quiet and just nuzzled slightly into her. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a woman in his bed that he actually wanted to hold onto but especially tonight he knew he wouldn't let her go if he could help it. One of his deputies had died in that shootout tonight, he knew it just as easily could have been him and all he could think about now was how relieved he was that she was the one he had come home to.

The first thing Veronica noticed when she woke up the next morning was that she was alone in Lamb's bed. Since when did he wake up first? She didn't hear the shower either. Looking to the clock she could see it was barely seven. She still had almost two hours before she had to be in class and while she toyed with the idea of going back to sleep for another half an hour or so she caught sight of something else on the nightstand. A coffee house coffee cup. And a note.

_Had to get back to the scene early. Thanks again for dinner. Enjoy your breakfast,_ it read.

Coffee? That was her breakfast? She almost laughed. Okay, she would let the thought count this time. It was enough to get her out of bed at least and when she walked into the living room, the still hot coffee in hand, she saw a box on top of the fridge. That had to be the breakfast he really meant. How had he remembered her favorite cereal?

"Better day?" she asked cautiously as he came into the apartment that night.

He smiled. She was there. That alone called for a yes. "I'm not kicking you out, am I?"

"No," she smiled back before standing. "I was waiting to start dinner until you got here."

"We're not ordering out again?" he asked with his best mock shock.

"What kind of a wife would I be if I let you fill up on junk?"

"Tell me you're bringing my pipe and slippers next," he quipped before heading towards the bedroom to get changed.

"Not a chance. But there might be dessert in it for you if you're nice to me," she called back to him.

"What kind of dessert?" he asked as he reemerged. "Just so I know if it's worth it to be nice," he added with that smirk.

"Pie."

He already knew the girl could bake. And the offer was tempting. "What kind?"

"Peach," she smiled.

Neither had exactly known what had changed tonight. No fighting, no real mocking, the only sarcasm was that for comedic effect, they didn't even argue over what to watch after they had eaten. It would have been frightening as they sat beside one another on the sofa, Lamb's arm draped around Veronica's shoulders as she reclined against him, but instead they had chosen not to think about this wasn't supposed to feel as normal as it did.

Though admittedly Lamb was finding himself watching the petite blonde to his left more than the plasma screen. His curiosity was getting the better of him. Namely his curiosity of it she would still taste like peaches if he kissed her. That was the last conscious thought he had before he dipped his head and decided to get his answer.

Veronica was stunned momentarily, but soon found herself melting into the less than chaste kiss. And when her lips parted just enough to let a sigh escape, Lamb took full advantage and teased her tongue with his own for a moment before taking in the contours of her mouth and tightening his arms around her, bringing her closer to him.

She wasn't pushing him away, she wasn't trying to scream, instead she was not only returning the kiss with as much intensity but actually pressing her body into his.

"What was that for?" she panted when they finally parted for much needed gulps of air, their lips not even an inch apart.

"I wondered if you'd still taste like peaches," he replied, equally breathless but yet still eyeing her mouth.

"And?" she almost laughed. Don had really kissed her. Again. And she had really liked it. Again.

"I think I need to check again," he smiled.

"Then why are we still talking?" she smiled back as she pressed forward and took her turn in claiming his mouth.

He wanted to tell her that he didn't know, wanted to tell her how much he wanted her, that he wanted this. But given how often his mouth got him into trouble with her he knew better than to break the quiet. Especially now that he could feel her shifting again until she was climbing onto his lap and straddling him while continuing to kiss him as deeply as she could.

Lamb's hands settled on her hips, groaning into her mouth as she twisted her hips above his and ground into him.

Veronica sighed out in reply as his hands trailed upwards beneath her tank top and a moment later. Lamb broke the kiss then and kissed along her jaw until reaching her throat, his hand closing over a breast and drawing another moan from her. She canted her head back, granting him easier access to every inch his lips seemed to want to explore and taste.

She hadn't even been aware of her own wandering hands, but it wasn't long before her fingertips brushed against his abs from beneath his shirt. And as her hands moved higher over his sculpted chest, his own seemed to move lower down her back as his lips trailed slow kisses down as much of her chest as they could while she still had her tank top on.

Lamb chose then to bite the bullet. If she wanted him to stop now would be her breaking point. Taking hold of the hem of her top, he began to slowly raise it up, taking his mouth from her body and looking up at her. He knew there was no denying just how much he wanted this, not when she had to be feeling what she did to him. But her? This could all be a game. Some trick for her to be able to laugh about how much she turned him on.

Veronica had no idea Lamb was holding his breath until the moment she raised her arms for him to take her top from her. All she could concentrate on was how surreal this was, unable to believe just how much she was wanting him and not wanting this to end. Still, this time she couldn't stop herself from talking.

"You sure about this, Lamb?"

Tossing her shirt aside and pulling her even closer to him, both surprised that was even possible, he half-smiled and asked, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"If I'd wanted you to stop I would have tasered you long before now," she stated, trying to keep her words from coming out in pants and almost succeeding.

"You're sure you want me to keep going then?" he asked, his fingertips now teasing the waistband of her pants.

"Yes," she sighed out as his fingers achingly slowly dipped lower.

"Let's see if you're telling the truth," he smirked. He could feel the heat pouring off of her, but he wanted more. His smirk became a victorious grin as her head tilted back when his fingertips just brushed her clit before one delved between her folds and slipping all too easily into her. She was nearly dripping already and it was all for him. He could already imagine how she would feel wrapped around his cock as he slipped a second finger into her and just the idea had him nearly ready to take her already.

Veronica moaned again as he went deeper and unhooked her bra with his other hand. She was shrugging the now unnecessary material from her shoulders and dropping it to the floor even as she rocked into Lamb's hand, unable to keep from moaning again as he pressed the pad of his thumb to her clit. She gasped an instant later when she felt his lips hungrily surround one of her taut nipples and his free hand surround her other breast and squeeze until she moaned again.

She was too lost in everything that he was causing her to feel. She couldn't even think beyond that she had never imagined Lamb capable of this. Not that she had ever imagined having sex with Lamb, of course.

Feeling her rocking faster, grinding harder into his hand, Don finally released her breast from his mouth, her groan of protest going straight from his ears to his cock. She really didn't want him to stop and only turned him on more. Still he forced all of his concentration now on watching her as she neared her orgasm. He angled his wrist, curled his fingers into her and took to rubbing her clit just a little harder when she twisted her hips.

She came with a gasp and her body shuddering just a moment later, Lamb smiling all the while at his achievement.

"What do you say we get you out of these wet pants?" he smirked as her body began to calm and he took his hand back.

"And get you out of your entirely too tight ones?" she smirked back as she then lowered her hand and ran her fingertips along his cotton-imprisoned length.

"God yes," he groaned.

She almost laughed as she slid off his lap and stood before him as she lowered her pants and panties and kicked them aside.

Lamb lifted off his shirt, taking his pants and boxers off next before resuming his previous position on the sofa on the sofa and waving her back on top of him.

"Last chance to turn me down, Sheriff," she stated as she climbed back onto his lap, this time taking hold of his cock and stroking him slowly.

He groaned again, his head canting back against the sofa. "Don't tease me, Mars."

"You really want me?" She released her hold, but she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"You know I do," he sighed out as he looked up at her, pulling her closer again by her hips.

He was inside her within a second and that time they both groaned at the sensation of filling and being filled.

It was her turn to moan again as his lips returned to her neck and his never still hands busied themselves with her breasts once more. He knew already he would never tire of them fitting perfectly within her palms and every sound she made only spurred him on.

Finally Veronica took her hands from his sides and planted them on the back of the sofa, raising up again before taking Lamb completely into her once more. Every kiss and nip and bite of skin was meant to muffle every groan he couldn't repress but even despite her own she heard him and fought to maintain the rhythm they had found.

When Don lowered his hand between them again, pressing his middle finger against her clit as she ground down into him again. With another gasp her body began to stiffen, he pulled his mouth away from her, watching her as she raised up again, thrusting up as much as he could into her. God, she was beautiful. Her head tilted back, her back arched, her blonde waves of hair falling around her shoulders like a golden halo. Not to mention that indescribable look of pleasure on her face that he knew he was responsible for.

In seconds she was moaning what sounded like his name and as her muscles coiled around him, Lamb was soon following her over the edge.

Veronica didn't miss it when it was her name that escaped his lips, nor how he was holding her in place as he thrust into her as he came.

When he sagged against the sofa, Veronica wasn't far behind as she took her arms down and rested her body against his. The idea of moving off of him still hadn't quite occurred to her as her cunt continued to spasm slightly, Lamb's cock still throbbing just enough within her.

"I knew you'd be perfect," he sighed against the nape of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her and held her to him.

"I hope you're not expecting me to say that you're perfect," she breathlessly replied as she laid her head down on his shoulder.

"You're a rotten liar, Mars." Bringing his voice down until he was practically whispering in his ear, he added, "You clench when you lie."

"You'd better not start using that as a new interrogation tactic." It was amazing how she could still sound threatening even when her lungs had yet to completely recover.

Lamb all but moaned as he peppered kisses along her exposed neck. "God, I love it when you're jealous."

Jealous?! Her?! Never! Alterna-Prom? What Alterna-Prom? She didn't confront or try to humiliate anyone that night. And it had nothing to do with the fact that someone there **hadn't** slept with Lamb. Whatever. He was hers now. Mr. Veronica Mars. Yes. Much better.

"What do you say we move this to the bed?" he asked finally, still seemingly incapable of taking his hands from her.

"Sounds like a plan," she answered with a smile as she backed off of him and let her feet reach the floor.

When morning came Lamb knew he had to start getting ready for work, but at the same time he had a naked Veronica Mars beside him in his bed. Was it even really a contest?

"Hi," she smiled as she began to wake up, not even surprised to see he had been watching her.

"Hi," he smiled back.

"Don't they ever give you a day off?" she pouted as she nuzzled into him. Part of her knew she should be freaking out over the fact that she had not only had sex with Don Lamb the night before without the excuse of alcohol but now that she was effectively, willingly snuggling with him in his bed and complaining that he had to go to work. Alright, she had class too but not for another three hours and damn it, she wanted to stay right where she was.

"That's not for another three days," he sighed.

"Do you really have to go?" No, giving up really wasn't in Veronica's nature.

"Wouldn't want to be accused of not doing my job," he smirked.

Suddenly her want to punch that smirk off his face was returning. Though it wouldn't be with even half the force it would have been with a week ago. However kissing it off was highly tempting. Even if she didn't like that he was using one of her favorite sayings against her.

"Fine. Go to work. Leave me here. Naked. In your bed. Alone," she sighed dramatically. "See if I care."

"I always knew you did," he grinned before he kissed her and left the bed.

She glared. He wasn't supposed to be able to turn that down.

If nothing else at least another case had managed to take Veronica's mind off the night before, partially anyway. It had seemed routine when Cliff dropped the file onto her desk. Of course he had told her to have Keith look it over but they both knew Keith was off at that conference Veronica had found herself grateful for. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about coming up with new stories of where she was spending her nights. Well, unless she decided she wanted to stay with Lamb after their week of martial 'bliss' was up and then the whole ugly truth was going to come out. But as it was it was only Day Four, too soon to be focusing on that.

Cliff's client seemed to have every ounce of evidence needed to prove his innocence of insider trading. But obviously the Balboa Sheriff's Department felt differently. Normally she loved proving them all wrong. Namely Lamb. But now things had changed between them. Sure he still wasn't the greatest Sheriff the world over, but she knew he wasn't as stupid as she had wanted to believe before they started getting along again.

Going through the papers and notes within the file Veronica noticed something on one of them. A time stamp from a speed camera. Right there it proved Cliff's client had an alibi. Why he had even come to her she wasn't completely sure but he had mentioned that her father had been looking into the case, that there were a few things that needed some following up on.

Where better to do a little extra research? Who better to ask for one of her famous, or perhaps infamous, favors?

"Hi, Inga," Veronica smiled as she walked into the station. "Is the sheriff in?"

"In his office," she smiled and pointed.

"Miss me?" she smirked in his open doorway.

As much as he wanted to say some version of 'yes' the door was open and if she was there he had an idea it wasn't for the reason he hoped. Though the idea of sitting her on his desk was increasingly tempting and had been a favorite fantasy of his for years.

"What are you doing here, Veronica?" he managed to ask.

"Would you believe a social visit?"

"No," he almost laughed. Not that he would have minded, but he did have work to get to. Though of all the distractions in the world, he had admit she was a nice one. Well, in theory at least. She hadn't said what she was there for.

"You got me," she replied as she held up her hands as if to surrender. "I came to ask you for something."

"Yeah?" he smiled as he stood from his chair.

"As much as I wish it was that, sadly no. I noticed something that I think you should see before you bring Nick Walsh in."

"How do you even know about that case?"

"I can't reveal my sources. Still, here," she handed him the copied image, "he was caught on camera running a red light at the same time he supposedly made the phone call, from his office, to his buddies who were already on their way to Mexico.

"Veronica." That warning tone he hadn't used since Vegas was back. "I don't know how you even heard about this case or why you're interested in it, but I don't need you looking into this and screwing it up."

"Screwing it up? By bringing evidence to the sheriff to prove a man's innocence? Wow. Guess I should've known some things wouldn't change." She was beginning to regret this entire past week. So much for not having been brainwashed into thinking Lamb could be a half-decent human being.

"Veronica, you don't know what you're claiming is evidence. Nick's already here. No, he wasn't in Mexico with the others and no he wasn't in his office but that picture is a fraud. I can't tell you how I know that, but trust me."

"Because you're the kind of sheriff who gets all of his facts straight before arresting suspects?" she all but scoffed. She had wanted to believe she could forget their recent past, that they could go back to how things were before it all changed. But now she was seeing just how wrong she had been and just how much hope she had poured into this new relationship with him. Betrayed again. She wished she had seen it coming. But just like the last time he turned her away she had been completely blindsided.

Glancing to the door, Lamb couldn't stop himself. "You might want to think about a certain former sheriff before saying that again."

He did not! He had. She would have slapped him if she hadn't known how likely he would be to arrest her for assaulting an officer. "Fine. I'll prove it myself. As usual."

"Think what you like, Mars," he sighed as he moved back to his desk.

Her hand was on the doorknob when she looked to him and stated in a cool tone he hadn't heard all week, "Don't expect me to be there when you get home."

She slammed the door on her way out and as much as part of him wanted to go after her he knew this time, this one time, that was without a doubt in the right. He couldn't tell her how he knew, he couldn't tell her where they had found Walsh or where he had been headed when Sacks stopped him. Instead he settled for running a hand through his hair and popping a stick of gum into his mouth.

And if she wouldn't be there when he got home, fine. Fuck it. It wasn't like he had really expected it to work with her. Why the hell did he even want it to? She was Veronica Mars. Nothing about her was normal, nothing about her was sane. And yet that was why he craved her. At the end of the day he was the Sheriff of Neptune and she was the amateur P.I. who thought she was the greatest crime fighter of all. Okay, maybe second to her father. Either way, this time he was in the right and if she couldn't handle it then that was her problem.

"Wow, hey, Veronica," Mac said when she saw her at the dorm. She had hardly heard from her that week so it was really no wonder why she was surprised to see her waiting in her room.

"I need a favor," she stated, having to fight to keep her voice level.

"When don't you need a favor?" Mac laughed. She had meant it as a joke. She definitely hadn't expected Veronica to burst into tears! Veronica never burst into tears. Well, not unless there was a reason. Crap.

Veronica didn't even try to speak as she pulled the image from her bag. Lamb had called it a fraud. If there was even a chance that she was in the wrong this time, which almost never happened, she had to know. Just to know. She wouldn't be able to take back what had happened this afternoon but at least she would know one way or the other.

"Are you okay, Veronica?" Stupid question. She was clearing anything but.

"Long day," Veronica managed to tell her. "I just need you to look at this," she went on as she handed the picture to her friend.

"Okay, what am I looking at?"

"It's supposed to be an alibi but someone else called it a fraud. I need to know if there's a way that a time stamp could be faked on a speed trap camera. And if there is, then who did it early this afternoon."

"Always the easy jobs," Mac sighed.

"Please tell me you can -"

"I can. It could just take a while."

Veronica nodded. "In the meantime do you think I could hang out here? My dad's gone for a few days and I -"

Mac nodded. "Of course. And while we're waiting, if there's anything you want to talk about…"

"I'm fine," Veronica lied. She hadn't told anyone about this past week, even taking to downright avoiding some of her friends just to keep from having to admit it. She loved them all, but she knew none o them could have handled it. She was technically married to the thorn in all of their sides. She would never hear the end of it. And if they had just decided to call it quits after the week was up then what was the point of having said anything in the first place?

Though admitted she was surprised Sacks hadn't even said anything about Lamb leaving for Vegas without what was clearly a wedding ring and coming back with one he hadn't taken off since. Maybe he had just decided Don would say something if or when he felt like it. As usual.

She shook her head, trying to forget that train of thought. It was done now. She had called the deal off. He hadn't believed her. Again. Hadn't even heard her out, refused to tell her what would have gotten her to back off. How was she supposed to trust him like that? Then again she barely trusted him as it was. Maybe Vegas really had been a fluke. Last night too.

The hours began to pass and Mac still ran her searches, Veronica had called Cliff to ask him if he knew about the possible tampering. He had claimed the image was genuine. Of course. She wasn't surprised. Why would his client admit to it? Especially if he was already in jail? She almost called Vinnie Van Lowe for ideas, maybe even a bit of help, but quickly thought better of it. She called the station, not even knowing why. She hung up when she heard Sacks answer.

"I don't think we'll find anything tonight," Mac finally stated, her voice cutting through Veronica's thoughts.

"Of course not," she sighed. She hadn't changed her clothes, hadn't even really moved from the chair in Mac's room. She wanted to go to Lamb's apartment and get her things but she wasn't ready yet. Not ready to be back there, running the risk of seeing him, or of him seeing her like this.

It wasn't love. She couldn't love Lamb. Not after everything. But why else did it hurt so much to be away from him? To think this was really over? It wasn't like they had really been together before despite the pubescent dreams and fantasies she'd had of him all those years ago.

Dreaming of him taking her to her prom, of him being the one to give her her first kiss. Okay, technically that one had come true. But it had only been on the cheek at the station when she was thirteen. But now she knew him in ways she had never imagined she would actually know him in reality. And all she wanted now was to be able to forget this slow moving train wreck and get on with her life.

Guys came and went, especially for her.

_Come on, Veronica. Break-ups happen. You put on some Alanis and Tori and drown your sorrows in Ben and Jerry's, it's the way of the world. You've survived Duncan and Logan, both repeatedly._

So why did the thought of losing Don Lamb feel even worse when in some ways she had truthfully lost him over three years ago?

It couldn't be because she loved him. No. Because if she did then she would do something really stupid. Like admit that she wanted to stay with him. It was the tequila that made her marry him, not those stupid fantasies she had given up on what seemed like a lifetime ago.

She kept repeating that to herself like a mental mantra. So often he would piss her off, so often she would get angry with him, so often they would just repeat it all the next day and be their version of fine. So why was this time so different?

There was an idea, she thought with a scoff, get hold of the surveillance video of their wedding and see if he had been right about them saying they hated each other seconds before saying 'I do.' She made a mental note to do it when she could see straight. Maybe in forty years when she could look back on this and laugh.

When had she left Mac's room? When had she started driving? Where was she going? No. She didn't like this. She knew this street. It wasn't the way home. It was the way to _his_ home. Now capable of some sort of rational thought again, she turned back to the direction of the campus. She couldn't do this. Not now.

_Saved by the ringtone,_ she thought as she heard her phone ringing in her bag.

"Hello?"

"Veronica, where'd you go? I went to get something to eat and when I came back -"

"Yeah, I needed to go for a drive. Clear my head, I guess."

"Okay, well I wish you'd told me. It's after midnight."

Was it? God. How long had she been driving? "I didn't know. I just needed -"

"Yeah, you and your need to be alone when things get too intense. I know. Still, you should've told someone. We wouldn't want your dad to worry for no reason. Seriously though, if you want to talk about what's going on -"

"Have those searches come up with anything yet?" she broke in.

"Yeah. That's another reason I called. The time stamp was changed. Someone logged into the mainframe fourteen minutes after the picture was initially taken. I wasn't able to find out who did it, the encryption was a nightmare. I'm guessing whoever it was knew enough to use a re-router so their IP couldn't be tracked. Whoever it was definitely knew what they were doing."

"Like, say, a computer programmer with some heavy duty intel?"

"Most likely."

Veronica pulled over to the curb and closed her eyes. She didn't know who she was angrier at. Herself for being wrong or Lamb for being right this time. This one time that made her realize just how stupid she could be herself.

"How about you come back to the dorm? I know you don't want to talk, but -"

"Actually there's something else I have to do right now. Somewhere else I have to go."

"After midnight? On what's only now a Friday?"

"Yeah. Look, thanks, Mac. I really appreciate it." With that she hung up and turned her phone off. With a deep, shaky breath she put her car back in gear and turned back onto Lamb's street.

In minutes she was letting herself into his apartment, he hadn't denied her a key given his visions of her calling him at the station to let her in when she would get done with class. No. That wouldn't have been a help to them when they were trying to keep all of this under wraps. He also hadn't enjoyed the idea of her using her lock picking tools to get in. It was bad enough he had to look the other way with most of her activities. But 'breaking' into his home? Into the home of the town sheriff? No. That would have been too much.

She kept the lights off and got as far as the sofa. She was frozen with her head in her hands almost from the moment she sat down. What was she even doing there? To apologize? To tell him he was right? To pack her things?

She was still wondering as she saw the faded light of morning begin to illuminate the living room. He would be up soon. He would shower and come out and find her. It had become almost too easy for her to come up with cover stories in the past but this time seemed impossible. She guessed she knew why. There shouldn't be a cover story this time. No lies, no half truths. He deserved better this time.

"Here for your things?" Don bitterly asked as he came into the living room an hour later.

"No," Veronica replied as she looked to him. He looked as though he'd had about as much sleep as she had. At least he had been in a bed, she decided. She hadn't even laid down on his sofa. She almost wished now she had thought to.

"Funny, here I thought you were leaving me."

"I would have," she answered truthfully. "But I went to Mac and asked her if a time stamp could be forged from the original computer. And I guess if anyone could do it then it'd be a computer programmer at Kane Software who had helped create the system for those cameras. He ran the light on purpose so he would have that alibi."

"I know," Lamb nodded.

"Which means you were right to bring Nick in when you did." It wasn't easy for her to admit when she was wrong. Especially not when it was because he was the one in the right, but if someone was going to make amends today she knew it would have to be her.

On any other day he would have had a comeback. But right then he was still too stunned to see her back in his apartment and not packing up her things. He also knew as long as he kept his mouth shut she was more likely to stay as opposed to having stayed that long just to leave then.

"How long were you here for?" So much for not talking, but wanted to know.

"Mac said it was after midnight when she called me, so I guess about ten minutes after that."

"You sat on the sofa all night?"

She nodded.

He sighed again before telling her, "Well, since you're here you're welcome to stay if you want, get some sleep. But I need you to stop trying to do my job, to stop undermining me and doubting me. I know to you when it comes to the Sheriff thing you still consider me to be Deputy Dickhead, but I'm not always wrong which I think you've now seen for yourself."

"And if I come to you with something that's actually likely, will you hear me out? Actually listen to me?"

"If what you have is credible and preferably obtained legally," he nodded.

With that their truce was made and Veronica headed into the bedroom. She was skipping classes today, she needed sleep. Lamb still had work but that didn't bother her much today. It wasn't like she would have had the energy to do anything if he had stayed.

That night they both stayed unusually quiet. Deciding for once to lose themselves in their thoughts as the TV was more background noise as opposed to something they actually wanted to watch. It was still technically Day Five. In two days decisions would be made and neither had a clue what they really wanted.

The fantasy for both was that they would have been able to overcome their history, fall madly in love and live happily ever after. But this wasn't a fairy tale. And overcoming their history was proving to be an uphill battle. Still they knew they would be willing if the other was. Neither was ready yet to ask how the other felt about it. Neither could take hearing that it wouldn't, or couldn't, happen.

Veronica sat at the dive bar the Hearst students frequented the next night. She had lost the fake ID she had used in Vegas but she had plenty of others. She was still reflecting on the past week, on what she could remember of Vegas even. How she didn't want this to be her last night as Mrs. Don Lamb. How part of her actually felt like that was who she was supposed to be. She blamed that thirteen-year-old Veronica Mars inside of her who had never fallen out of love with him, the one who still imagined him as her hero, her protector. And in some ways he was still her protector. He was the one who had saved her more times than she could count. Yeah, thinking about that wasn't helping.

Now of course wasn't one of the times she wanted him to live up to that title and see him saunter up to her. So of course that was exactly what he was doing.

"Thanks a lot," Veronica muttered as the bartender neared her.

The bartender only shook his head in reply with a half-smile.

"What are you doing here, Veronica?" He sounded more tired and concerned than angry that she was flaunting her illegal activities in public again.

"Drinking."

"I can see that. Why?" He was standing beside her then, taking the now empty glass from her hand and giving the 'no more' signal to the bartender.

She opted for a half-truth. "It seemed like the thing to do."

"Come on," he stated as he took her arm. "I'm taking you home."

"Which home?" she asked before she could think. Damn fifth vodka tonic.

Lamb knew what she was asking. He still wasn't used to the idea himself but given what tonight was, thinking half the day about the conversation he didn't want to have, he finally found himself saying the word. "Ours."

"We could end this now, you know?" Veronica stated as he led her into the bedroom after the long, quiet car ride.

"Admitting defeat so soon, Mars?" he sighed. He should have known she wouldn't want to stay with him.

She shrugged sadly. "I just figured if you were tired of me then you could just say it now and save us both the trouble tomorrow."

"No. We still have a little more than seven hours to go. If you want to call it off then, then fine. But until then, Mrs. Lamb -"

She almost smiled at him using that title again. "I didn't say I wanted to call it off," she admitted. Why had drinking sounded like a good idea? That was what got her into this! Too much confusion, too many mixed emotions, just too many emotions. It was definitely better when they hated each other. Back before she found herself wanting him more than she had when he was Daddy's deputy, before she knew the taste of him, how she feared she would never sleep as well as she did when his arms were around her. Hell, the last time she hadn't fallen asleep even beside him she hadn't slept at all. For all she knew that was a justifiable fear at this point.

"You should sleep," he told her. He couldn't know what she would say when the alcohol wore off, he wasn't about to get his hopes up. Even if she was giving him that look that made his brain shut down, his heart pound and his pants tighten.

"I don't want to sleep," she breathed as she stood on her knees on the bed and laced her arms around his neck. "Especially not if this is the last night I'll be able to do this." With that she was raising up just a little higher and kissing him as hard as she could.

Lamb could taste the vodka on her and he hated himself for knowing he wouldn't push her away. She was right. This could be the last night they would have together. He couldn't say no.  


* * *

"So I guess what happens in Vegas doesn't really always stay in Vegas," Veronica stated as she watched Don wake up the next morning. Minus the snoring and unintelligible swearing this did kind of remind her of the week before.

"Hmm?" he asked as he stretched.

"It's after ten," she replied as she glanced to the clock.

He knew what she meant. It was put up or shut up time. Do or die. He sat up just enough and leaned against the headboard. "Alright. So we survived the week, barely, is there anything you want to say before we get to it?"

_I'm lying naked in your bed, again, do you really think I'd just jump up and say, 'Well that was fun, but I've gotta be getting back to the losers who don't have the power to make my panties melt off of me with a single look from the most perfect pair of blue eyes I'll ever see in my life?'_

Actually he probably did, she realized. Oh well. No such luck. They had known it for years, it was time to admit it out loud. He wasn't getting rid of her that easily.

"Actually, _Sheriff,_ I have a question for you."

"I'm listening." Every breath he was taking was a deep one. He wanted to be ready for what he was sure she would say. There was no way she would stay with him given how she could have her pick of all the Duncans and Logans of the world. That was why he had 'arranged' this deal. So he could say that at least for a week she had been his. He never thought for a second he would get to keep her. And now the moment of truth was here.

"When can I have my ring back?" she asked with a pout.

Was he hearing things? Had she really asked for her ring back? As in the ring she claimed she _wouldn't_ want him to put back on her? "When do you want it back?" he asked, hoping for the life of him he had heard right.

Veronica pursed her lips together and pretended to think about it. "Say, five minutes ago?"

Don laughed, mostly in relief and rolled over to the nightstand. He knew she would have appreciated the irony of her ring resting beside his gun.

Veronica smiled brightly at the glittering ring, even sitting up a little more as she anticipated it. Maybe she wasn't typically a diamonds kind of girl, but she could make an exception this time. Bastard just had to be right. She did want him to put it back on her.

"Last chance, Veronica," he smiled as he moved close again. "Sure you really want this back?"

She would have glared if not for wanting to laugh in her own relief. "Well we did survive this week pretty well, considering, and the ring is pretty and sparkly…"

"You sure you want the pain in the ass it comes with?" This time he was serious, he had to hear her say it. Just once. Just to know he hadn't completely lost his mind.

"I do." It was mostly on reflex that she answered so quickly but that didn't change the truth in her answer. Veronica knew she didn't have to ask Lamb if he wanted to still be married to her, not only hadn't he taken his ring off since their night in Vegas but he was the one who had come up with this idea. And looking to his smile now that was reaching his gleaming eyes as he slipped the ring back onto her finger she knew she didn't have to wonder if he was as relieved as she was now.

"You know you're stuck with me now, don't you?" she asked him, moving close and curling an arm around his waist.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Mars," he smiled before he leaned in to kiss her.

"That's Mrs. Lamb to you," she smirked before returning the kiss.

Now of course the next order of business would be to decide who would tell Keith. And Wallace. And anyone else who would want to pummel Lamb for even touching Veronica, never mind secretly marrying her. Silently they agreed to worry about that later. For now they had some other, more pressing, matters to attend to. They both had the day off after all.

* * *

Epilogue:

"So let me get this straight. When you and Lamb left for Vegas the earth wasn't spinning towards the apocalypse and yet some time in the next eight hours hell had frozen completely over and you two were married? As in legally bound, man and wife?"

Veronica smiled uneasily. "Well, when you put it that way, pretty much."

"And you couldn't have told me a week ago that I missed seeing you, my one and only daughter walk down the aisle?"

"We didn't want anyone to know until we were sure that we could make it last longer than a week. It just didn't seem worth it to tell anyone if we were just going to pretend like it hadn't happened."

Keith sighed. While he appreciated his daughter's honesty now and was glad she wanted to be responsible about her decision he still couldn't believe Don Lamb was his son-in-law. Of all the boys she had dated, most of whom he was thankful Veronica hadn't married instead but even so this was the main thorn in their sides they were talking about.

"This is where I'm supposed to give you one of my famous dad talks. You were supposed to say you were only dating and I was supposed to tell you no sleepovers among other things but I guess you've taken that out of my arsenal now. Just answer me this, please, you're not pregnant are you?"

"No," Veronica quickly answered, mostly certain it was true. At least she could be relieved that if she was it had happened after they had gotten married and it wasn't what had caused them to get married like Keith seemed to be implying.

"Does he make you happy?" Keith asked finally.

"He does," she smiled as she nodded. She thought back to that night he ordered her out of the shower, how relieved she had been that he hadn't been killed in that shootout and finally how happy she had been when slid the ring back on her finger.

"Well then I guess the only thing left is to invite him over for a family dinner, make it official," Keith smiled, unsure just how happy he was supposed to be about this. Don Lamb was family now. But Veronica said that he made her happy. That was all that mattered.

The dinner went over much better than Lamb had feared and better than Keith had expected.

Of course most of the others getting the news over the next few weeks hadn't taken it quite so well.

Sacks had probably been the least surprised of them all. He had seen Don's ring every day since they had gotten back from Vegas and he had seem him with Veronica enough over the years. Still he kept quiet, deciding it wasn't his place to bring his boss' private life into the work place. Never mind how often Don himself ended up doing it every time Veronica stopped by the station. Whether it be for a case or otherwise.

Inga had actually hugged Lamb when she heard the rumor was true. Of course he had felt rather uncomfortable, especially with his deputies looking on, but he gave a half-smile and thanked her anyway.

She hadn't even let Veronica get a word out when she had seen her later that day. Too busy congratulating her and going on about how she had always known they would forgive each other for _everything_ over the years, Veronica and Don both felt they were close enough. After all if it was completely perfect it would be boring and it wouldn't be them. Those imperfections were what made them work.

Wallace was next to get the news. He had threatened Lamb's life, to Veronica, no less than three times in as many seconds. He still didn't know their full story, but he had still hated what he knew. Plus he still remembered his own experience with the sheriff. Like Veronica, Wallace knew how to hold a grudge.

Cliff was next. He had been at the station to meet with a client and had overheard part of what had seemed to be a very interesting conversation. At first he figured it was some wife or girlfriend visiting her boyfriend or husband or whatever in jail given how they were quietly talking about what they were going to do to the other when they got home. But it was at hearing 'Mr. Mars' come from the young woman's soft voice that his interest was positively piqued. Keith with a younger woman? This he had to hear and he couldn't help the swell of pride he felt for his friend.

When he heard the man laugh and retort with, "Whatever you say, Mrs. Lamb," he was ready to vomit. Now that he was paying attention he recognized the sheriff's voice and with that he knew who the woman he had called 'Mrs. Lamb' had to be. When he peered around the corner he saw that he was right. He could have gone his whole life without seeing the kiss that followed.

When Logan's turn came he ended up in jail for the night for having assaulted an officer (since the charge was the same be it an officer or the county sheriff) and destroying government property for bashing out the back window of Lamb's cruiser.

As Cliff led him out of the station the following morning Logan decided it had been worth it. And he was somehow comforted by Cliff's understanding. He guessed it was for that reason Neptune's favorite public defender hadn't ordered him to get another lawyer this time.

Weevil wasn't far behind and he couldn't deny how tempted he was to follow Logan's lead, but of course adding his own personal touches. Instead he opted for staying on his straight and narrow and settled for taking on the protective big brother role and simply threatening Lamb for if he ever hurt Veronica in any way.

Vinnie Van Lowe found out by investigating in his own way. He had heard the rumors but refused to believe them for a second. When he had seen it with his own eyes however he decided to change tactics, see if there was some way he could blackmail either or both of them. It had to be an act. It just had to be.

Veronica had caught him of course. How Vinnie managed to escape without his camera becoming a permanent fixture in his ass he didn't know, but he counted his lucky stars for it.

Mac had been stunned when Veronica told her, but she had been happy for her friend. Of course she couldn't help but ask nearly every question one could imagine. And Veronica answered most of them. There were some things even her best friend didn't need to know.

When Madison got the news Veronica thought for sure she was about to see her spit nails in her fury. That was an image that would keep Veronica smiling for years.

Dick hadn't really cared one way or the other, he just wanted to know how often Lamb got Veronica into his handcuffs. She would never admit the number, not even back when the cuffs were for his supposed professional use when he was arresting her every other week.

All in all their friends had reacted much like they had anticipated, some more passive, some more aggressive. But they had managed to escape without any bodily harm being inflicted, well save for Lamb that day with Logan, so that was a plus.

At the end of the days that passed it didn't matter to them who thought what. They knew their truths, they knew how far they had come and how much had changed. Most recently they hadn't thought they would even survive a day together, but then that day had become a week and now it had been a month. Maybe their life together wasn't all wine and roses but it certainly wasn't boring and together Veronica and Lamb knew it never would be.

The End


End file.
